Chapter 2

The Benefits of Native

Vegetation
Bruce Mullins
Johnstone Centre, Charles Sturt University
Wagga Wagga NSW

There have been several reports and income to in-direct, whereby native
educational material printed highlighting vegetation results in, for example,
the benefits of native vegetation. In fact, increased production.
several chapters in this Guide convey the
benefits native vegetation can bring. This region is typified by low and
Naturally, the potential benefits will be unpredictable rainfall. Perennial native
different to each landholder depending on vegetation (trees, shrubs and ground
the natural resources available, their cover) can provide benefits to stock in the
interests and needs. form of shade, shelter and fodder
(particularly in drought years). NSW
For the purposes of this chapter, these Agriculture has reported increases in milk
benefits or values that native vegetation production, increased fertility in ewes and
has are summarised under four main lambs, increased wool production and
headings: economic value; ecological meat production where stock have had
value; social value; and Aboriginal access to shade and shelter.
heritage value.
In cropping areas native vegetation can
In some instances, native vegetation has reduce moisture loss around crops by
been cleared leaving individual trees acting as a wind break increasing yields,
scattered across the landscape. Recent while deep rooted perennial species help
maintain low watertables. Native
studies have highlighted their value in
vegetation is also effectively used to
fragmented landscapes. The value of
control and reverse other forms of land
scattered trees and woody debris within degradation, such as erosion. Rising
remnant vegetation is also discussed. watertables, and associated salinity, and
erosion are national problems that can be
Economic values costly to control or reverse. Native
vegetation can be used as a preventative
Agricultural production is the primary measure against these land degradation
landuse and source of income in the problems and as a means of control,
Riverina. Any economic benefit that potentially saving millions of dollars.
native vegetation could bring to a
property is likely to be at the forefront of Native vegetation provides habitat for
a land manager’s incentive to maintain native and non-native wildlife. Even
and manage it. single paddock trees can provide suitable
habitat for some species. Insectivorous
The economic benefits of native species, such as birds and bats, can affect
vegetation vary from direct sources of agricultural production by consuming
vast amounts of insects (typically moths, Soil can be further improved by native
bugs, flies, etc), that are known to be crop vegetation through nutrient cycling.
pests, throughout the year. One small Vegetative matter that falls from
insectivorous bat (weighing about 10 vegetation is broken down by soil
grams) can eat approximately 250 to 300 organisms and other microbes, resulting
grams of insects a year, whereas a wading in nutrients re-entering the soil to be used
bird might consume this amount in one by other live plants.
day.
Native vegetation provides other
For some areas in this Guide, native ecological benefits by stabilising stream
vegetation can bring direct economic banks, improving water quality,
benefits through the sale of firewood and absorbing carbon dioxide and acting as
forestry products, and non-timber carbon sinks that absorb greenhouse
products such as honey, seeds, oils and gases.
cut flowers.
Social values
Ecological values Native vegetation is aesthetically pleasing
Many of the ecological values of native to most Australians. Its form acts as
vegetation are presented in more detail in symbols for the regions of Australia;
this Guide. Briefly, native vegetation from tall, wet eucalypt forests in the
benefits biodiversity. Biodiversity is a south eastern tablelands, to the flat,
term used to describe the diversity of scorched plains of the arid inland, they
ecosystems (or habitat types), diversity of are images that can be conjured up in the
species (including every living organism minds of most Australians. There is a
from microbes to insects and large need to preserve the array of vegetation
animals) and diversity of genes within and landforms for current and future
species. Different types of habitat created generations of Australians.
by native vegetation across the landscape
will contribute to the needs of a large Some native vegetation types are also
number of species. Native vegetation can sought after for recreational activities and
offer habitat for animals that is suitable as tourism. Within the region, different
a food source, breeding site or refuge. types of native vegetation are utilised by
Variation within an area of native people with interests such as bird
vegetation (such as a site that includes watching, camping and bushwalking.
native trees AND shrubs AND ground
cover AND woody debris) provides Native vegetation is important to school
resources for a greater number of wildlife and university students, and researchers
species. who use native vegetation for scientific,
education and research purposes. The
Along with the economic benefits of flow on from scientific investigation and
using native vegetation to control rising research can lead to other benefits in our
watertables and land degradation community through, for example,
problems it also provides ecological improvements in agriculture or discovery
benefits by maintaining a healthy soil and in the existence and use of natural
sub-soil surface environment while medicines.
simultaneously contributing to
biodiversity.
Aboriginal cultural heritage
Indigenous Australians have a strong link
to the Australian environment. Native
vegetation is often associated with sacred Therefore, if you are interested in
or significant sites. These may be maintaining or enhancing habitat for
symbols or marks on trees, rock wildlife, also consider the value of
formations or an area with other historical scattered trees.
significance, providing a spiritual link
with their past.
The value of fallen timber
Native vegetation also provides a link to Fallen debris (branches, bark, leaves and
the traditional way of life for indigenous
logs) provide valuable habitat for a wide
Australians and is a source of natural
variety of insects, mammals, reptiles and
medicines, fibres, implements and raw
materials for artwork. birds. Studies have found 210 lizards per
hectare in areas of scattered trees where
debris has been removed, as compared to
The value of scattered trees 1500 lizards per hectare in areas where
Scattered trees, once seen as semi- the litter and woody debris under
expendable resources that may only scattered trees was not removed. Coarse
provide limited value to stock, provide woody debris on floodplains also provide
valuable habitat for fauna. valuable habitat for fish, aquatic insects
and algae, and are commonly referred to
With shifts in land management and as the reefs of rivers.
changes to some agricultural practices,
paddock trees are becoming a nuisance.
Conclusion
Wider combs on harvesting machinery,
tram line harvesting techniques and the The direct and indirect benefits native
need to utilise as much land as possible vegetation can bring to your property will
for production has resulted in scattered be varied depending on your
paddock trees being removed and/or circumstances and interests. The next
replaced with linear planted tree lots Chapter will provide some information
around paddock perimeters. Adopting about how to develop a property plan
this approach in its entirety is seen as encompassing all the features of your
having a negative benefit to biodiversity. land.
Agriculture has changed the structure of
the landscape in Australia over the last References and further
200 years. During this time the reading
distribution of fauna and flora has also
Gibbons, P. and Boak, M. (2000) The
changed, adapting to the new conditions,
importance of paddock trees for regional
that is, a mosaic of scattered trees and
conservation in agricultural landscapes:
larger remnants. If the landscape is
a discussion paper for consideration by
altered again on a large scale by
the Riverina Highlands Regional
removing scattered trees, the suite of
Vegetation Committee. NSW National
species associated with this mosaic of
Parks & Wildlife Service, Southern
vegetation may be lost, and it may take
Directorate.
several years before other native species
adjust to a landscape of predominantly Law, B., Chidel, M. and Turner, G.
linear tree lots. (2000) The use by wildlife of paddock
trees in farmland. Pacific Conservation
Biology 6: 130-143.

Native Vegetation Advisory Council

(2000). Native Vegetaion Conservation
Strategy for New South Wales.
Department of Land and Water
Conservation.

Reid, N. and Lansberg, J. (1999) Tree

decline in agricultural landscapes: what
we stand to lose. In: Hobbs, R.J. and
Yates C.J (eds). Temperate Eucalypt
Woodlands in Ausralia: Biology,
Conservation, Management and
Restoration. Surrey Beatty and Sons,
Chipping Norton, pp 127-166.

Sheahan, M. (ed)(1998) VegNotes.

Murray Catchment Management
Committee and Department of Land and
Water Conservation.

Stelling, F. (1998) South West Slopes

Revegetation Guide. Department of Land
and Water Conservation, Albury.